Five warning signs in a company’s filing history
A company’s filings tell a story. Learn which patterns suggest a closer look is needed before signing a contract.
A company’s filings are its public diary. Most of the time they are dull — annual accounts on time, an occasional new director. Some patterns, however, deserve a closer look before you sign a contract or pay an invoice in advance.
1. Frequent changes of registered office
Moving once is normal. Four moves in eighteen months, often to virtual offices, can mean a company is trying to stay ahead of creditors.
2. Late or missing annual accounts
Accounts filed months late — or not at all — are one of the most reliable early signals of financial trouble.
3. Directors who come and go
A quick succession of directors, especially when they resign shortly after a filing deadline, is worth asking about.
4. Links to dissolved companies
Check what else the directors run or ran. A trail of companies dissolved after a short life is a pattern, not a coincidence.
5. Name changes close to a dispute
A new name shortly after a court case or negative press can make a company harder to research.
None of these signs is proof of wrongdoing. Together, they are a reason to ask questions.
- Read the filing history section of the profile from the bottom up.
- Compare the dates with the status changes.
- Use “Report an error” if something looks wrong.